Practise Match Misadventures
by AspergianStoryteller
Summary: The older boy shoved Ryoma into a walk-in freezer. He gasped from the shock of cold air swallowing him.


_Practise Match Misadventures_

Summary: The older boy shoved Ryoma into a walk-in freezer. He gasped from the shock of cold air swallowing him. Don't own Prince of Tennis. Konomi Takeshi does.

* * *

Ryoma stared up the toilet signpost on the corridoor wall. It looked exactly the same as the one he passed five minutes ago.

_Damn_, he thought. _I'm going around in circles._

This was his first trip (at Seigaku) to a practise match at another school. The regulars and several non-regulars had walked to Kōri no Bi Middle School for a friendly mini-tournament and training. A group from the girls' club had come too, and Ryuuzaki-Sensei was going to play against the Kōri no Bi coaches.

While the captains and teachers were dicussing stuff about arrangements Ryoma's bladder reminded him that he'd had a glass of milk, a can of ponta, a thermos cap of Inui juice and several mouthfuls of water to wash out the Inui juice to drink that morning and it was time to take a piss.

_'Kaidoh-Senpai, I'm going to to the toilet.'_

_'Don't be too long,' Kaidoh-Senpai said. _

_'Sure.'_

He left the concrete court beside the tennis courts where everyone was gathered and talking, asked for directions from a Kōri no Bi guy texting on his cell phone and entered the food block where the closest toilets were. (The line for the tennis clubroom bathroom was too long.)

The food block was a large building which included the cafeteria and several cooking classrooms. Ryoma had passed some people carrying trays of snacks outside the way in, but now there was no one to be seen in the corridoors.

'How annoying,' he muttered. 'It was crowded just before.'

Then he spotted an older Kōri no Bi boy in the Kōri no Bi tennis club uniform.

'Hey! Where's the way outside?' he called out. The other boy glanced at him in surprise.

'Are you lost?' he asked.

'Yeah.'

'Ha ha.' The Kōri no Bi boy looked him over and smiled. 'I'll show you the way out, kid. Come with me.'

They went back the way Ryoma came and turned into long hallway near the cafeteria.

_This doesn't look like that way out. Are we going through a fire exit?_

'You're such a wimp! Try it!'

'You try it! You're not a regular!'

A group of voices were approaching from the way they came.

'I really don't think you should!' That was Oishi-Senpai's voice. 'Inui juice is no joke!'

Ryoma smirked. Inui juice was funny when _he _didn't have to drink it. Hopefully they would come around the corner before they drank so he could see their faces. _Fuji-Senpai has a point about watching other people suffer. _

'Ah - damn.'

The Kōri no Bi boy yanked open a large metal door and shoved Ryoma into a walk-in freezer. He gasped from the shock of cold air swallowing him.

'Hey!'

_Slam!_

XXX xxx XXX

'Oi, Wakamatsu!'

Wakamatsu whirled around. _Crap, it's someone from Seigaku! Did he see that?_

'What's up?'

The guys from his own school leered.

'Try this health drink Seigaku brought with them!'

'Don't do it!' cried the Seigaku boy.

XXX xxx XXX

_Thump! Thump! Thock!_

_Thump! Thump! Thock!_

Well. This had to top the tale of Momo-Senpai's first practise match field trip. Getting locked in a freezer so beat falling out of a tree.

_Thump! Thump! Thock!_

Good thing Ryoma had a tennis ball in his pocket. After struggling with the heavy door and yelling for help didn't get him out, hitting a ball against the wall was the only way to keep warm.

The freezer had lots of shelves and boxes of frozen food but there was enough space for him hit the ball and jog on the spot.

_That guy had better get me out soon. If he makes me miss my match I'll swap his water for Inui Juice!_

XXX xxx XXX

'Hey, Momo, have you seen Echizen?'

'Not for while, Oishi-Senpai,' Momoshiro said.

'OK. If you see him can you tell him that some of the muffins going on the snack table have banana in them? He's mildly allergic to them.'

'Sure, Oishi-Senpai. Wow, I didn't know that.'

'He went to the toilet, Senpai,' Kaidoh piped up.

Oishi saw the crowd around the clubrooms and nodded.

'I see. He may be a while.'

'Oishi!'

'Oof!'

Eiji slung an arm around him and grinned at the second years before asking,

'Where did you go, Oishi? The cheerleaders and me are gonna have a battle! '

'Don't wear yourself out before the tenn is matches start, Eiji,' Oishi warned him. 'I was in the food block before when I saw some Kōri no Bi students had a flask of Inui juice.'

'You should have let them drink it, nya~'

'Eiji!'

'Eiji-Senpai! That's not sporting! It's not!'

'Hee hee! I'm only joking! Did you save them, Oishi?'

He shook his head.

'One of the boys drank a bit before I could stop him. He ran to wash his mouth out.'

'Good thing it didn't knock him out,' Mo mo said. 'I'd hate to be accused of dirty tricks before the matches start.'

'Don't talk about dirty tricks, trickster.'

'What are you suggesting, viper?'

'Oh here they go again... Eiji, will you tell the others to tell Echizen there are banana muffins on the snack table?'

XXX xxx XXX

Ryoma wished he had brought his jacket to Kōri no Bi. It was so hot already when he woke up that he didn't bother to bring it with him. But who expects to get locked in a freezer?

_Thump! Thump! Thock!_

At least he didn't have to worry about his air running out. There was a humming air vent right below the ceiling. Too small for him to crawl through, but it kept fresh, cold air coming in. And there was a light switch on the inside.

_Thump! Thump! Thock!_

This was getting boring. Someone come and open the door already! With dozens of hungry teenagers outisde they should fetching more food every five minutes. Momo-Senpai's huge appetite would be really useful now.

_Enough with this wall. I'll aim for that box now._

_Thock! Thump! Thump!_

_Thock! Thump! Thump!_

_Now the corner of that shelf!_

_Thock! Bang! Thump!_

XXX xxx XXX

Two hours after roll call the first matches were over and everyone took a break for morning tea. Eiji dragged Oishi away from the teachers and made him sit down under a tree.

'Geeze, Oishi, save your energy for later,' he chided.

'That's funny coming from you, Eiji.'

'Even Eiji can be serious,' Fuji smiled. He was eating sushi. Oishi decided he'd rather not know what was in it.

'He's right, Oishi. Enjoy your break with us.'

'Alright.' It was good weather for lounging under a tree.

'Oo, what kind of sushi is that, Fuji?'

'It's octopus sushi. Would you like to try some, Eiji?'

'OK!'

'You and the girls' captain make a good team, Tezuka-Buchou.'

'Ew! It's sticking to my throat!'

Inui sat down, looking nervously at Ryuuzaki-Sensei where she ate with the other teachers.

Eiji thrust a pair of chopsticks into Oishi's hands. 'Get it out, Oishi!' he wailed.

'Inui, what are you putting in my bag?'

'I accidently brought aozu instead of penal tea. You don't mind if I hide it in your bag, Taka-San?'

'Didn't Ryuuzaki-Sensei ban that?'

'Exactly.'

Tezuka stood up and walked over to the teachers. He returned with a cup of coffee. At the same time they were joined by the first years they'd brought to play with the Kōri no Bi first years, waved over by the regulars.

'Good job you guys,' Oishi said. 'We were proud watching you.' They blushed.

'Um, senpais, have you seen Ryoma-Kun?' asked Kachirou.

'I haven't seen Ochibi since roll call,' said Eiji. Oishi frowned.

'Not since he went to the toilet,' Kaidoh said.

'Now that I think about it, has anyone seen Echizen since then?' Momo asked.

'Maybe he's lost?' Fuji wondered.

'I hope he's alright. This is his first practise match at another school.'

'I'll go ask Sensei if she's seen him.'

Fuji came back with Ryuuzaki-Sensei, who was frowning.

'When and where did everyone see him last?' she said.

No one had seen or heard from Echizen since before practise started two hours ago.

'I'll organise some help to look for him. You guys can help during lunch.'

XXX xxx XXX

But that might have been too late, Fuji thought later.

Before morning break ended he visited the bathroom and remembered that Echizen had told Kaidoh he was going to the toilet before he disappeared.

'Excuse me,' he asked a Kōri no Bi boy about to leave. 'Have you seen a first year boy wearing this uniform?'

'Oh, the kid in the cap?'

'Yes, we haven't seen him for over two hours.'

'Two hours? ... Hey, Wakamatsu! Have you seen a Seigaku kid wearing a uniform like this guy?'

Another boy coming out of a cubicle glanced at Fuji and winced.

'Wakamatsu? You didn't do something dumb, did you?'

Fuji looked sharply at Wakamatsu. He winced again.

'Ah, sorry. I just meant to mess with Seigaku. I swear I was just going to wind him up by getting him lost but then someone was coming and...'

'And?'

'I shoved him in a room and forgot about him. In my defence it's because of that disgusting drink!'

'You idiot!' The first boy turned to back to Fuji and apologised.

'I'm really sorry, Seigaku. We'll go get your first year now. Where did you leave him?'

Wakamatsu wilted under the two glares.

'We were in the food block - shit. I think locked him in the freezer.'

'What!? He's been in there for two hours!?' Their voices disappeared behind Fuji as he sprinted outside, grabbing a passing Tezuka on the way.

'Tezuka, Echizen's been locked in a freezer!' The captain's face turned from shocked to thunderous in a second.

'Follow us!' The two Kōri no Bi boys ran ahead of them.

'I'm really really sorry!'

The food block was close, but it felt like too long for Fuji.

_How much air is in a freezer? Does he have his jacket on?_

Soon they came to a large metal door, which the Kōri no Bi boys yanked open. Fuji and Tezuka jumped inside.

'Echizen!'

'Echizen! Are you alright?'

It was both worse and better than they expected. Echizen was shivering and pale in his t-shirt and shorts, but he had his tennis racket out.

'F-F-Fuji-Senpai. Buchou.'

Fuji was at his side in a second, wrapping his arms around the first year's freezing body and wishing he'd grabbed his jacket. Echizen slumped against him.

XXX xxx XXX

'Echizen, are you OK?'

'Hm. Cold,' Ryoma mumbled into Fuji-senpai's chest.

_So warm. Stay here. _

'Let's step outside now.'

They shuffled out of the freezer into the _warm, finally, _corridoor.

_Click._

'Hey kid, I'm really sorry I put you in there. I swear I didn't mean for this to happen.'

'Go get him a hot chocolate, Wakamatsu,' said his classmate.

Fuji-Senpai's arms stayed wrapped around Ryoma as they walked outside and sat down on the grass. His tennis bag was placed beside him and a too-big Seigaku tennis club jacket was drapped over his shoulders. The third-years pulled his arms through the sleeves and zipped him up. Then another jacket was pulled on over it, Tezuka-Buchou's, and arms went around him again.

'I'll get Ryuuzaki-Sensei,' said Tezuka-Buchou.

Ryoma was too cold to feel awkward about the fuss they were making. And Fuji-Senpai was too warm to not cling to.

'This will be a good story some day, hm? '

'Che.'

'Nya! Fuji! You found Ochibi! Is he OK?'

'Echizen! Fuji, what happened to him?'

'He was locked in freezer.'

Kikumaru-Senpai and Oishi-Senpai touched his head with hot hands.

'Whoa! So cold! How'd you get locked in a freezer, Ochibi-Chan?'

'A prank gone wrong,' expalined Fuji-Senpai.

'Waa?'

'Eiji, see if you find a blanket or some gloves for Echizen,' Oishi-Senpai said, rubbing Ryoma's hands between his own. They had the same callouses as Ryoma's hands; skin hardened by gripping a tennis racket.

Before Kikumaru-Senpai came back with a blanket the Seigaku girls draped their jackets over his legs and Inui-Senpai offered him a swig of something foul looking to warm him up. Ryoma hid his face in Fuji-Senpai's shirt.

'Inui! He's supposed to stay awake, not get put to sleep!'

'But he'll recover 30% faster if he drinks this.'

Fuji-Senpai chuckled, his breath tickling Ryoma's ear.

'Geeze, Echizen, how did you end up locked in a freezer? Your sense of direction is horrible! It's horrible!' Momo-Senpai's hand lifted his cap and ruffled his hair under it.

'Echizen! Are you alright!?'

'Fssshhhh... Is he OK, Fuji-Senpai?'

'Ryoma-Kun!'

Ah, there were the rest of his team. Noisy.

'Ryoma! Tezuka says you were locked in a freezer by someone.'

'What!?'

Ryuuzaki-Sensei knelt by him and felt his forehead.

'Fuji, you and Tezuka did well insulating him. Has he had anything warm to drink?'

'Someone's on their way with a hot chocolate.'

'Good. Oi, Ryoma, how do you feel now?'

'Better. I'm tired.'

Kikumaru-Senpai and the Kōri no Bi boy who locked him the freezer came back at the same time.

'Here, Ochibi,' Kikumaru-Senpai said as he wrapped Ryoma up like caterpillar in a caccoon. 'You must have been freezing! Did you eat any ice cream while you were trapped in there?'

'Kikumaru-Senpai, I can't move.'

'Whoops! Sorry Ochibi!'

When they freed his hands the Kōri no Bi boy gave him a cup of coffee.

'I couldn't find any hot chocolate, but Kasamatsu-Sensei let me take this coffee. I brought the milk and sugar too.' Kikumaru-Senpai took the flasks and mixed a cup of milky, sugary coffee.

_Ow!_

'Careful, Echizen,' Fuji-Senpai warned him when he burnt his lips. 'Blow on it.'

_I'm not a kid._

His seniors laughed at him.

Even with him blowing on it, the coffee was very warm in his mouth. It set Ryoma's lips and tongue tingling almost painfully and almost choked him going down his throat. A hot feeling began to spread in his belly.

'Urgh!'

A hot burn started in his fingers and spread along his skin.

'What's wrong?' Oishi-Senpai fretted, leaning in to check his forehead. 'Does something hurt, Echizen?'

'He's starting to warm up,' Ryuuzaki-Sensei said. 'It'll be hard on his body after his core temperature dropped so low, so we'll have to make sure he doesn't go into shock.'

'Let's not let our guard down,' Tezuka-Buchou agreed.

'Take deep, even breaths, Echizen.'

'Yeah! Be good and get well quickly, Ochibi! If you do I'll treat you to burgers!' Kikimaru-Senpai slung his arm around Ryoma and Fuji-Senpai. Another wave of warmth flooded over Ryoma with the contact. He shuddered.

'Ah, I know what Ochibi needs~'

'Eiji!'

'Oishi!' Kikumaru-Senpai yanked Oishi-Senpai closer. 'Group huddle! We'll make Ochibi warm faster!'

Ryoma looked up the others in alarm and snorted at the faces they made. Kaidoh-Senpai had turned red and Tezuka had this subtle look of uncertainty. Momo-Senpai, however, he had this grin on his face that meant mischief.

'Here, Taka-San.'

'ALIGHT! Let's make Echizen get warm with a burning huddle!'

'Oi!'

'Fssshhh!'

'Ack! Taka-San!'

Even Kikumaru-Senpai and Fuji-Senpai's eyes went wide as Kawamura-Senpai hustled everyone together. Fuji-Senpai steadied Ryoma's coffee.

'Ha ha ha ha ha ha!'

'Oi, boys! Get off Ryoma for a minute, the school nurse is here.'

Ryoma peered up at their coach through a gap between Kaidoh-Senpai and Tezuka-Buchou. She was sniggering at them. He rolled his eyes and sipped his coffee. At least he was warm now.

* * *

_Notes and translations_

When (if) I get more ideas, this may be updated as a dabble sort of series.

_Buchou - _a way of saying captain. In the PoT anime many Seigaku people called Tezuka "Tezuka-_Buchou_."

_Chan_ - used to address someone your age or younger, mostly on girls. Also can be used on little kids, pets and lovers.

_Kun_ - used to address someone your age or younger. Most commonly used on males. Some teachers or bosses may call females students/employees by this because _chan_ can be more affectionate.

_Ochibi_ - baby, kiddo, Eiji is calling Ryoma their little one.

_San_ - Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss. The most common, polite honourific added to someone's name.

_Senpai/sempai_ - upperclassman. Senior. An honourific added to the name of a person older or senior to you.

_Sensei_ - "one who has come before." People like teachers, doctors and other profesionals may be called this.


End file.
